Popular tasting experience gets cosy with hearty new tastes

Chilly days call for serious comfort therefore Swiss owned Stellenbosch Estate, Eikendal, has tweaked its popular Pizza & Wine Pairing experience with new wintry taste sensations that will beat the winter blues one sizzling bite and sip at a time.

From now until the end of June, food and wine lovers can tuck into a wholesome threesome of thin-crust mini pizzas, each packing a pleasing punch with flavours unique to the season and masterfully paired with just the right estate wine to perk up the palate and mood.

“There are those who embrace winter and those who have to brace themselves for it. Eikendal is an enchanting Winelands destination all year round but with these hearty new pairing sensations we make sure that you really savour the winter season and get energized and happy, even when the sun is not shining,” shares Lana Dippenaar who heads up Eikendal’s tasting room.

First up to ditch the doom and gloom is a Ham, Olive & Mushroom Pizza which melts in the mouth with Eikendal’s Pinotage 2014, a superb red to complement the earthy, umami notes of the pizza.

The second enticement to keep the spirits high during winter is a sizzling Mexicana Pizza fuelled with mince, chilli and peppers which shares the hot seat with the beguiling Charisma 2013. This fruit-forward and upfront Shiraz-driven blend beats pancakes on a rainy day and balances the heat of the pizza with its complex woodiness, rich, juicy fruit and smack of tomato paste.

The last but not least blues-buster is a Fillet & Avo Pizza married with Eikendal’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2013. This full-bodied red elegantly matches the meaty flavour of the pizza with its rich taste of black berries and plum.

The pizzas are freshly prepared by the resident Cucina di Giovanni restaurant, celebrated for its Italian fare with a sumptuous twist and the little ones will not be left out in the cold as they can revel in a pizza cookie decoration and tasting, complete with sprinkles and icing.

Eikendal is not only renowned for its internationally acclaimed wines of great fruit purity and finesse as it also features a myriad of family-friendly attractions ranging from the exceptional to the exhilarating. Leisure activities include wine tastings and languid lunches; wildlife viewing and enlightening cellar tours. Outdoor fanatics can get hooked on fly fishing at glistening dams or set foot for a fynbos hike before settling in for a cosy sleepover at the charming Eikendal Lodge, where quality meets tranquillity.

The lip-smacking Winter Pizza & Wine Pairing action goes down a treat in Eikendal’s tasting room Tuesdays to Sundays between12h00 and 16h00 and it costs R50 per person. Note that there is a 20 minute waiting period as the pizzas are freshly prepared…thus more time for you to wine-down with a glass of Eikendal’s finest. The Kids Cookie Tasting includes two cookies, the yummy decoration goodies and a glass of milk at R30 per child.

To book for this winter pairing experience contact Eikendal at Tel: 021 855 1422 or send an email to info@eikendal.co.za.